Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi granted divorce

Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi have been granted divorce in a hearing lasting less than a minute by District Judge Anne Aitken at the High Court in London today (30.07.13)

Nigella Lawson and Charles Saatchi have been granted a divorce.

The couple - who split last month after a photograph emerged of the art collector grabbing Nigella by her throat - were approved the decree nisi by District Judge Anne Aitken in a hearing lasting less than one minute at the High Court in London today (31.07.13).

The pair will still have to wait for a decree absolute - which is usually issued six weeks and one day after the decree nisi is granted - to officially end their 10-year marriage.

The duo made the decision to put an end to their marriage quickly in a bid to prevent their private life from being leaked to the public and negotiated a settlement through Nigella's lawyer, Fiona Shackleton.

The 53-year-old TV chef previously promised she wouldn't force Charles to sell off his collection of modern art and the former lovers - who are thought to have signed a pre-nuptial agreement prior to their wedding in 2003 - made a pact not to publically disclose the terms of their divorce or their financial settlement.

Charles, 70, originally claimed the picture of him grabbing his estranged wife during a heated argument outside a London restaurant was a "playful tiff" but later accepted a police caution following the incident.

Two weeks later, removal men were spotted taking away the brunette beauty's belongings from the £12 million mansion she shares with Charles in London.